Teen footballers seriously injured in e-bike crash

Two teenage footballers are being treated for serious injuries after a crash involving an e-bike and a car.

Nicole, 15, and Lexi, 14, from Farnborough, suffered head injuries and multiple fractures when the bike they were riding collided with a car in their home town on Friday 1 May.

The girls, who are part of Farnborough FC's Under-15 squad, were taken to a specialist trauma centre in London where they have both undergone surgery.

Their team coach, Mike Jones, has set up a fundraiser to help their recovery, including specialist physiotherapy and equipment, to get them back on the pitch.

The crash, involving a pedal-assisted e-bike and a blue Fiesta, happened at about 18:30 BST at the junction of Ladywood Avenue and Whetstone Road.

Hampshire police said there had been no arrests.

Nicole's dad, Jason, who arrived at the scene at the same time as paramedics said: "As soon as I saw the pair of them, I thought 'this is bad, very bad'."

He said he believed the bike was a legal pedal-assisted e-bike that had been borrowed from a friend but the girls were on the bike together and had not been wearing helmets.

Carrying a passenger on a bike not designed for it is an offence that can result in a fine of up to £200.

Jason said, despite their injuries, the girls were "in really good spirits".

"They've been put in the same cubicle next to each other," he said.

"They've got their cup final in a couple of weeks time – they were both absolutely devastated because they couldn't play it."

Jones said the team had just secured the Division 2 league title but they would not be celebrating without Nicole and Lexi.

"Football is their passion - they live and breathe it," he said. "They bring so much energy to the squad.

"It was a shock. [I'm] so gutted for them. For this to happen to them now is tragic."

Jones said getting the girls back playing football was "going to be a long, expensive and painful process".

He said: "As much as we are grateful for the NHS and everything they've done, their job is to get them back to standard health, not back on the football pitch."

He said the team had sent get-well videos and three of the girls' teammates had paid an "emotional" visit to the hospital on Tuesday, taking club scarves and other gifts.

"We are with them every step of the way," he added.